1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of electronic devices used in the banking industry for processing batch checks. More particularly, the present invention relates to the field of check encoding machines used for printing numerical information on the bottom of the checks as they are being processed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) encoder devices are well known in the art. These prior art MICR encoder devices are used for printing numerical information on the bottom of checks as they are being processed by the encoder devices. These devices are known in the industry as a micr-encoder, batch-encoder, exception item encoder or proof machine. In a conventional MICR encoder device, the encoding of the numerical information on the check is done through a font wheel which requires the check to be advanced through the device in an intermittent stop mode arrangement for printing so that the font wheel can engrave the characters onto the check. The disadvantage with prior art MICR encoder devices is that it utilizes a font wheel for printing, in which the characters are engraved onto the check and cause the check to be advanced in an intermittent stop mode arrangement.
The following nine (9) prior art patents are found to be pertinent to the field of the present invention:
1. U.S. Pat. No. 3,985,998 issued to Crafton on Oct. 12, 1976 for "Personal Authority Verification System" (hereafter the "Crafton Patent"); PA1 2. U.S. Pat. No. 3,990,558 issued to Ehrat on Nov. 9, 1976 for "Method And Apparatus For Preparing And Assessing Payment Documents" (hereafter the "Ehrat Patent"); PA1 3. U.S. Pat. No. 4,630,201 issued to White on Dec. 16, 1986 for "On-Line And Off-Line Transaction Security System Using A Code Generated From A Transaction Parameter And A Random Number" (hereafter the "White Patent"); PA1 4. U.S. Pat. No. 4,774,513 issued to Bonnaval-Lamothe et al. on Sep. 27, 1988 for "Process For Controlling The Use Of Documents And Means For Implementing This Process" (hereafter the "Bonnaval-Lamothe Patent"); PA1 5. U.S. Pat. No. 5,053,607 issued to Carlson et al. on Oct. 1, 1991 for "Point-Of-Sale Device Particularly Adapted For Processing Checks" (hereafter the "Carlson Patent"); PA1 6. U.S. Pat. No. 5,204,881 issued to Cardini et al. on Apr. 20, 1993 for "System For Set-Up Of Transmitters In High Capacity Digital Radio Links" (hereafter the "Cardini Patent"); PA1 7. U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,325 issued to Huang et al. on Feb. 13, 1996 for "Method And System For Payment And Payment Verification" (hereafter the "Huang Patent"); PA1 8. European Patent No. 472-255-A (hereafter the "European Patent"); and PA1 9. Japanese Patent No. 40-4243497 (hereafter the "Japanese Patent").
The Crafton Patent discloses a personal authority verification system. The Crafton Patent uses output signals from a transformation matrix which is used to drive a printer which prints an array of marks and spaces on the check blank, the array being the encipherment of the check number and its corresponding alphabet display providing thereby codes of authenticity and authority.
The Ehrat Patent discloses a method and apparatus for preparing and assessing payment documents. It comprises a printing mechanism which prints optically detectable numerals on the document. The printing mechanism could be a magnetic head for writing data on the document in the appropriately encoded form on a magnet track or it could be a perforater punching the data in an appropriate encoded form in the document.
The White Patent discloses an on-line and off-line transaction security system using a code generated from a transaction parameter and a random number.
The Bonnaval-Lamothe Patent discloses a process for controlling the use of documents and means for implementing this process.
The Carlson Patent discloses a point-of-sale device particularly adapted for processing checks. It comprises a MICR read head means, printer means and keypad means which feed information into a CPU which communicates with the customer's bank and the retailer's bank in order to transfer funds from the account of the customer to the account of the retailer. The printer means includes a document printer head which is associated with a printer head drive means which propels the printer head.
The Cardini Patent discloses a system for set-up of transmitters in high capacity digital radio links, in which a digital signal with quadrature amplitude modulation is transmitted over a radio frequency carrier wave.
The Huang Patent discloses a method and system for payment and payment verification. It comprises the imprinting of a bar code on the face of a payment document. The bar code serves as an index to a corresponding data file in a database which can be communicated to a drawee banking institution serving as broker for the funds as identified in the check so that the institution has prior knowledge of information relating to the check.
The European Patent discloses a device for reading an identification mark from a moving object. It comprises a reader for scanning the identification mark at a predetermined location. A reading time control unit receives an inked reading signal from a preceding identification mark. It inhibits the reading operation of the reader. The time duration corresponds a distance shorter than the distance required for a succeeding identification mark reaching the read position.
The Japanese Patent discloses an automatic check dealing system.
It is highly desirable to have a very efficient and also very effective design and construction of a magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) encoder device utilizing a dot matrix printer head for printing numerical information on checks. It is desirable to provide an MICR encoder device with the capability of continuous printing without having the check stop for printing the numerical information on the check. It is also desirable to provide an MICR encoder device that can print at high speeds in a much more efficient way than prior art MICR encoder devices.